BOISE, IDAHO
D-League team signs arena lease
The Idaho Stampede signed a lease agreement with Block 22, owner of CenturyLink Arena, allowing the NBA D-League club to play in the downtown Boise arena through the 2014-15 season. The Stampede has played in the arena, formerly called Qwest Arena, since the 2005-06 season.
Stars get anti-smoking sponsor
Project Filter, a stop-smoking program, will be the title sponsor for this fall’s Dallas Stars training camp in Boise. The Stars, the NHL parent club of the ECHL Idaho Steelheads, will hold their training camp at Boise’s CenturyLink Arena in September. Project Filter will be displayed and featured throughout the Stars’ camp-related activities.
BOSTON
Pierce raffling off suite tickets
Paul Pierce is placing 12 tickets to his personal luxury suite up for grabs for the Boston Celtics’ game against Miami at TD Garden on Sunday. The winner will be chosen this week through an online raffle at netraffle.org, with proceeds benefiting Pierce’s Truth on Health Campaign. Raffle tickets are $2.
Celtics extend deal with Kia
Kia Motors America will continue as the official automotive partner of the Celtics after agreeing to a multiyear extension of their deal. Kia will host the Kia Performance Shootout Sweepstakes, giving fans a chance to win a 2012 Kia Optima at Celtics home games, and will continue to be the official sponsor of the Celtics’ Read to Achieve program.
CHARLESTON, S.C.
Family Circle Cup hits milestone
The WTA Tour’s Family Circle Cup is poised to welcome its 1 millionth fan during its 2012 event. The designated ticket patron will win a prize package worth more than $5,000. This year’s tournament, now in its 40th year, is scheduled to begin this weekend.
CHARLOTTE
MLL Hounds partner with Dick’s
Dick’s Sporting Goods signed on as an official sponsor and community partner of the MLL Charlotte Hounds. Dick’s will sponsor the Hounds’ Ball Boy/Girl Program and an interactive on-field skills promotion during its seven home games this season. Dick’s is also teaming up with the Hounds on their youth lacrosse and community outreach programs.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
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Driver Juan Pablo Montoya crashed into
a jet dryer truck, causing the fuel fire.
Photo by: GETTY IMAGES
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Speedway repaving burned section
Daytona International Speedway is repaving the area of track surface soaked and burned by jet fuel during the Daytona 500, according to a Daytona Beach News-Journal report. Lane Construction will handle the project. Track President Joie Chitwood III said the repair work was scheduled to begin last week.
DENVER
Legislature mulls Rockies tags
The Colorado Legislature is considering a bill that would create a Colorado Rockies license plate. If the bill passes, fans interested in having the plate would pay a one-time fee of $52.80 to the Colorado Baseball Club Foundation, which helps underprivileged and at-risk youth.
ENDICOTT, N.Y.
Champions Tour event renews Dick’s
Dick’s Sporting Goods will continue as title sponsor of the Champions Tour event at En-Joie Golf Course in a three-year extension of their deal. The event, traditionally contested in June, will be played in August this year to allow the course more time to recover from the floods that affected the upstate region in September.
FORT WAYNE, IND.
TinCaps want fans in TV ads
The Fort Wayne TinCaps are looking for people to star in the team’s 2012 TV commercials. The Class A club wants fans, friends and families to be a part of the “It’s All About You” promotional campaign. The TinCaps are partnering with locally based Punch Films for the commercial shoot.
KANSAS CITY
Royals get pumped with Grundfos
The Kansas City Royals formed a partnership with Denmark-based pump systems provider Grundfos. The deal between the team and the company, which has its U.S. headquarters in Olathe, Kan., is focused on water use and efficiency, both inside and outside of Kauffman Stadium. Grundfos signage will be visible in the ballpark’s left field fountains area for the 2012 season.
LAKEWOOD, N.J.
BlueClaws set attendance cap
The Lakewood BlueClaws are capping attendance at 8,000 fans per game this season. The Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies held several focus groups and consultations with ticket holders in the offseason. The ticket holders and the team agreed the cap would help limit the long lines at concession stands and bathrooms that have occurred at some games and will create additional room on the FirstEnergy Park concourse on the busiest nights.
NEWARK
Toys “R” Us commits $1M to Games
Toys “R” Us is the first founding partner of the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games after a $1 million commitment from the Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund. Toys “R” Us will also be the presenting sponsor of the Young Athletes Festival event during the Games. The Games will take place at various New Jersey locations in June 2014, with opening ceremonies planned for the Prudential Center.
NEW YORK
Acer partners with Knicks
Acer has a new, first-time marketing partnership with the New York Knicks for the remainder of the team’s 2011-12 season. The Taiwan-based computer maker’s branding will be featured on signage near the Knicks’ bench. Knicks breakout sensation Jeremy Lin is of Taiwanese descent.
LIU Brooklyn, arena share resources
Barclays Center and Long Island University Brooklyn formed a multifaceted partnership that includes athletics, education, community and brand-building platforms. Barclays Center will be the home-away-from-home for LIU’s men’s basketball team, with the Blackbirds playing a minimum of four home games each season at Barclays Center during the length of the agreement. The arena also will annually host five one-hour biweekly classes for students in LIU sports journalism/management classes.
Isles partner with children’s group
The New York Islanders are partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for a fundraising night on Thursday. Islanders owner Charles Wang plans to personally match the total donation from the evening. John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted” and co-founder of the center, will attend the game and drop the ceremonial puck.
PENSACOLA, FLA.
‘Kazoo’ voted in as Wahoos mascot
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos announced the winning name of the team’s official mascot, as chosen through a fan vote facilitated by the Pensacola News Journal. “Kazoo” beat out the five other finalist names: Blu, Capt. Catch, Salty, Sinker and Ono. Fans voted at various locations, online and through ballots circulated in the newspaper since March 2.
PHILADELPHIA
Soul games to air on WPEN
The AFL Philadelphia Soul reached a deal to have its games broadcast on WPEN 950 AM this season. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. WPEN will also air the “Soul Coach’s Show,” featuring Soul coach Doug Plank, that will broadcast live from Totaro’s Restaurant in Conshohocken, Pa., on Wednesday nights.
PITTSBURGH
Pirates expand Skyview agreement
Pittsburgh Pirates and Skyview Networks expanded the scope of their multiyear partnership. Skyview will provide its satellite distribution service to the Pirates’ radio network. The service includes satellite receivers that give affiliates the broadcast reliability of a back-up streaming audio feed and the team the expanded sales opportunity of spot localization.
SEATTLE
Sounders extend with Front Row
Front Row Marketing Services extended their marketing agreement with the Seattle Sounders. The company’s Front Row Analytics arm measures all Sounders partnerships, from television and print engagement to on-field signage ROI. It also provides evaluation on all activation around the MLS club’s Xbox partnership.
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